consequence on the banks of the Platte. A few scattering trees only are to be seen at intervals. During the dry seasons the channel of this river appears like a broad bed of sand with several small streams, winding their way through it. The bluffs are usually some distance from the Platte, but in some places come down to the water's edge. Our trail led through the bottom, passing on the elevated grounds only when they came down to the river. Republican Pawnees. Their trader invited me to a drink of coffee with him. He resides with the first chief of that land. I was desirous to see the chief, but while I was present he was absent. This trader speaks broken English; but the one who goes with the Grand Pawnee band can speak but few English words. For the last three days we have been with the Tapage band. Yesterday one of their chiefs invited me to eat with him. He showed me his little son, about a year old, and told me he would have me teach him to read, when he was big enough. It is considered honorable with them to have a numerous progeny, and they are fond of showing me their children, pointing out their sons particu When we had travelled eleven days in the manner I have mentioned, we came to the buffalo, which were at that time plenty on the Platte. To-day the village does not move, the Pawnees, all hands, have gone up the river a few miles to make what is called a surround.larly. My health not being yet perfectly restored, I did not think it proper to go up and witness this work of destruction. Tidings came just at night that they had made sad havoc among the buffalo. They killed, as near as I could learn, three hundred of these animals. As I have not yet seen a surround made, I shall not attempt to describe how it is done. 8. To-day the village moved up to the place of slaughter. As soon as we had come to the spot, and the tents had been set up, the meat that had been killed the day before was brought in, in abundance. They now invited me from one lodge to another to eat their good buffalo meat, till I did really wish myself delivered from such unreasonable creatures. When I first came to the Pawnees, I was very lean and meagre, as might well be supposed from what I have said with respect to my sickness. They would look at me rather pitifully, as I thought, thinking probably iny leanness had been caused by my not having had enough to eat, then feel of my arms and tell me I would become fat after living with them a while and eating their || good fat buffalo meat. They were now showing me great kindness in their way; but I could have dispensed with a large part of it, without any prejudice to my own comfort or convenience. 11. We stopped two days at the place where the surround was made, that the women might have time to dispose of their meat. To-day the Pawnees have moved up the Platte about six miles, and we are encamped once more on its bank. We are now about one hundred miles from the village. The Platte and the country adjoining have very much the same appearance as below. Coming up we encamped near the VOL. XXXI. 12. From the elevation on which we encamped this evening, I could distinctly see three large droves of buffalo in different directions. It was now so late the Pawnees did not molest them to night. Last night the Loups encamped within about five miles of our village. Early this morning I rode out, in company with a son of my host, to the Loup camp to visit Mr. Allis. After a pleasant morning's ride through a beautiful bottom, we came to the encampment. I found Mr. Allis in good health and spirits. He told me he had been kindly treated by his host and family, and with respect by others. I remained with him about half an hour, and then returned to my people whom I overtook before night. 20. The buffalo are abundant on all sides of us, and we are making a large quantity of meat at this place. The men bring in more or less meat every day. When the meat is brought to the lodge, the women take their knives and cut it for drying, rolling it out in very thin large pieces. This being done, a sort of frame-work is set up without the lodge over the fire, on which they spread the meat to be dried. When it has dried some, but not so much as to become hard, it is taken down and pounded out flat. This operation is usually performed with their feet, but sometimes with a wooden pestle. It is repeated several times while the meat is drying, and is done that the meat may pack close, when dried hard. When it has become thoroughly dry and fit for packing, it is taken down and folded in pieces two and a half feet long, and one and a half broad. These pieces are done up in balls, and inclosed in skins prepared for the purpose, and often fancifully painted. They "sometimes hang up their meat on frames 48 in the open air, but it does not dry fast || set to the camping place. I now, for the at this season, and freezes at night, which injures it. first time, had an opportunity to witness the chase. The Indians get as near as they can on their horses to the buffalo without being seen by them. They now set off at full speed towards their prey, which, on seeing its pursuer, moves off with all the rapidity of which it is capable. A race ensues; but it is not long usually, if the ground is favorable, before a huntsman overtakes his prey and despatches it. When they come up with the buffalo they are pursuing, they ride along side of the animal, at a little distance from it, and in the twinkling of an One cold morning, as I was returning from my walk, I saw several women bearing the lifeless remains of a little child, that had died the preceding night, to its burial. They carried it a short distance, then placed the body on the ground, stopped and wept a while, then took it up and went forward, all the while howling sadly. The father, a young man, followed at a little distance, appearing in an agony of grief. Though it was very cold, the ground being covered with snow and ice, he wore no cloth-eye almost, shoot one, two, three, or ing, save the cloth about his loins. In this condition he remained weeping at the grave, probably two hours, perhaps more. I should have thought he would have frozen to death, but his mind seemed to be so much absorbed in his grief, that he did not appear at all to regard the cold. 30. To-day the great eclipse of the sun took place. It was stormy and when|| the eclipse came on became quite dark. I do not recollect ever having witnessed so dark and gloomy a time during the day, at any previous period of my life. Several of the Pawnees came into my lodge, and said the sun was bad. They manifested considerable anxiety, and told me a bad thing had happened. They also told me that many of their wives and children would die after this event, and that it would be very cold. I told them the white people did not think more than an usual number of their women and children would die the ensuing season, or that it would be uncommonly cold. What I said to them seemed somewhat to allay their fears. After they were gone out I endeavored to explain the matter to the old chief, and tell him how the eclipse was occasioned. He listened very attentively, and I think understood something of what I told him, for afterwards I saw him show others what I had shown him. Dec. 25. On this cold barren spot we have remained four days, but have not killed any buffalo, the weather being too cold and the ground too slippery to follow them. To-day we left this undesirable spot, and having come upon the high prairie, proceeded till about three in the afternoon, when we saw many buffalo on both sides of us. Our procession was ordered to stop, and the young men mounting their horses, set off at full speed to kill them. Our company again resumed their march, and came near sun more arrows (just as they happen to take effect) into it. The beast when shot in this manner sometimes falls dead on the spot, sometimes stops, stands still, shakes its head, menaces its pursuer, and bellows and groans, till exhausted it expires. Sometimes it becomes furious, turns on its pursuer, and if he is not so fortunate as to get out of the way, upsets both the horse and the rider. It is a dangerous business, but the Pawnees are excellent horsemen, and often escape, when to any other but an Indian, there would appear but a forlorn hope. To-night large quantities of meat were brought in. At this place is a scarcity of wood; water as at the two last encampments. 30. At this place we remained four days, and made a pretty good supply of meat. While here I had an opportunity one evening of seeing how this people manage when the flames of the burning prairie grass threaten to sweep through and destroy the village. The flames were already sweeping over some of the high ridges not far distant from our camp. The old men passed back and forth through the village with haste, calling out at the top of their voices to the young men and boys, and sending them off in parties, in different directions, to drive in the horses and set back fires on the high grounds where the grass was short and the fire on that account could be easily extinguished. They performed their business and came in in about an hour from the time they were sent out. Our village was illuminated all night by the various fires around it. Jan. 25. To-day we came down to the place where the surround was made in three hours. I am now compelled to undergo another feasting. The buffalo have not for several years past come down so low as this place. Indeed I have recently been informed the buffalo are numerous at this time as many as twenty miles below the Grand Pawnee village. They have not been found so low as that, probably, for the last twenty years. The Pawnees have repeatedly told me that it was because I had come to live with them that the buffalo had come down so low. They say the buffalo have been gone a long time, but now a man has come to live with them who loves Te-rah-wah, and he has sent back the buffalo. Soon after we came to this encampment the old chief took me out, and showed me the spot where five years before a battle had been fought by the Pawness and Poncahs. Five of the Poncahs and one Pawnee were killed in this fight. The old man pointed out the identical spot where three of their enemies were slain. He said their young men beat them to death with their warclubs. Climate Character of Pawnee Feasts. 28. The past winter has not been as cold as those I have experienced in New England. The two days I have mentioned were the coldest I have witnessed in this country, but these were not colder than many I have experienced in my native land. The first snow fell on the 14th of November, about six inches deep, but melted in a few days. On the last day of November about the same quantity fell as before, but it was gone in a week. Our next snow-storm, and the most severe, came on about the middle of January; and in the former part of February we had several falls of snow, but none of them more than four or five inches deep. By the middle of February the snow was all gone, and we have had none since. The winds on the prairies are strong and violent. During the winter season, when they blow from the north and east, they are very cold and disagreeable. || gether, the man who makes the feast After we came to this encampment but very few buffalo were killed. Now came a time of feasting. When a man wishes to make a feast he orders one of his wives to hang the big brass-kettle over the fire, and fill it with corn and beans, and water sufficient to boil them. This is done at night. Early in the morning he sends for two men, whose business it is to serve on such occasions. When they come he smokes with them, then orders one of them to go and invite the first chief to his lodge, and in case be should be absent, the second. When the chief comes he brings his pipe and tobacco of course. After smoking to two places about a foot apart-in one place about three fourths, and in the other the remainder of the spoonfulthe larger heap for the buffalo, the smaller for Terahwah. From the time the guests began to assemble till now, the pipe and tobacco of the master of the feast are made free use of. The remainder of the bowls are now distributed to the guests, who soon devour their contents, and return them. After the bowls have been sent home, the company thank their benefactor and retire. Sometimes two or three such feasts follow each other, the guests going from one directly to another. For about a month such feasts were held every day to my no small annoyance. March 2. To-day a Ree has been to the village begging. Though the day was very cold, the shameless being went about through the village the whole of the forenoon as naked as he was born. In his left hand he held a bow and two arrows, in his right a stick about two feet long. He went singing at the top of his voice, beating time with his stick on the bow. When he entered a lodge, he stood and sung till they gave him something, or told him to go away. The Pawnees gave him a piece of cloth to cover his nakedness, the first lodge he entered, but the brutish wretch, instead of wearing it, carried it about with him till he went away. The Pawnees called him a dog and not a man. To-night this benighted superstitious people held what they call a bear dance. The first chiefs of the Grand and Tapage band and about thirty of their warriors dressed themselves fancifully, each differently, and with many ceremonies commenced dancing at sunset. Their dancing and singing continued all night, stopping only at intervals to eat. As I saw their foolish actions but for a few moments, I shall not attempt to describe them. The dance held to-night is to procure success for a large party, which starts to-morrow to visit the Itans, Kiewahs, Pawnee Picts, etc. Their object is to trade for horses, of which the above tribes have an abundance. They carry a large quantity of goods on their backs, consisting of blankets, guns, powder and ball, knives, tobacco, paints, etc. They think to accomplish their journey in about sixty sleeps. Labors of the Pawnee Women-Estimation in which they are held. 3. The Pawnee women are very laborious. I am inclined to think they perform more hard labor than any other women on this continent, be they white, black, or red. It is rare they are seen idle. When a Pawnee woman has nothing to do, she seems to be out of her element. They dress the skins for the tent cover, which is done with no small labor; sew them together, and fit them for the tents; make all the robes, which are many, both for their own use and the market; cut and bring all the wood on their backs, make all the fires, do all the cooking of course, dry all the meat, dig the ground, plant, hoe, and gather all the corn, of which they raise an abundance, as they also do of beans and pumpkins; cut the timber and build all their dwellings, both fixed and movable; set up and take down the portable tents; bridle and unbridle, saddle and unsaddle, pack and unpack all the horses; make all their moccasins, mats, bags, bowls, mortars, etc.; and if there be any thing else done besides watering, bringing up, and turning out the horses, (which the boys do), killing the buffalo, smoking and feasting, (which is done by the men), the women do it. Since the ground has thawed, they have bestowed some hundreds of days of hard labor in digging Indian potatoes. A woman does not succeed in digging more than a peck, laboring diligently from sunrise till sunset. Soon after light I have seen droves of the women and girls, with their hoes or axes on their shoulders, starting off to their day's work. The men do not fail to call up their wives and daughters as soon as it is light and set them at work. Their women are mere slaves. Whenever a Pawnee wishes to take a ride, he sends a boy after his horse, which, when brought up, his wife saddles. When he returns he dismounts, and walks directly into his dwelling. His wife must without delay take off and bring in the saddle. When he goes out to kill the buffalo, his wife must bridle and saddle his horse. When he returns she must meet him without the village, and lead in his horse with the meat, which she throws off, and brings into the lodge, then unbridles and unsaddles his horse. If he kills the animal with a gun, and brings the meat on his back, his wife must meet him as before, take the meat from his back on her own, and bring it to the lodge. When together in the lodge, their wives and daughters occupy the coldest and most inconvenient part of it. If there happen to be as many men present, as can conveniently sit around the fire, the women must sit back behind them, however cold it may be. If they have their meat with far less labor than the more than can conveniently be packed tribes east of them, and of course have on their horses, their women must carry more time to spend in idleness. They it. They carried huge loads as far as say their proper business is killing the we travelled during the day, many of buffalo and war. Since the recent treaty them without stopping at all to rest by with the United States, they have been the way, that I discovered. When they obliged to give up the last mentioned stop for the night, the horses are to be business. They now smoke, talk, feast, unpacked and unsaddled, the furniture to sing, and lounge away the time. Their be arranged, the tents set up, wood and women neither smoke nor sing. This water brought, fire made, victuals cook- || important business in their estimation ed, moccasins mended, etc., before tak- belongs only to the men. ing any time to rest; thus their labor is excessive. They are naturally bright and active, but their treatment renders them what slaves always are. They are much degraded. They become as much slaves to their sons, when they arrive at manhood, as to their husbands. When not employed, the men sleep as much, perhaps more, during the day than night. It is common for several of the men, when they are neither journeying or killing buffalo, (for when they are doing either of these they are generally quiet), to come together to some lodge, They are exceedingly loquacious. where is both pipe and tobacco, and Several of them often talk at the same there sit, smoke, and tell over their extime. They either possess the faculty || ploits till a late hour, when, instead of of talking and hearing at the same time,|| separating and going to their lodges, as or are so predisposed to garrulity, that they should do, they not unfrequenly fall they talk without caring to be heard. to singing, and sing some hours. I have They do not only talk much, but often || been an eye witness to many such meetscold. Their ill treatment frequently ings, when I would much preferred to renders them excessively ill-natured. have been asleep. When they awake in the night, they frequently fall to singing, which they continue till they are weary of it, or sleep again. It is seldom that silence reigns through the village, even during the season of "solemn stillness." Habits of the Pawnee Men. The men are abominable lazy. When I say this, however, I would not be understood that they are more indolent than other wild Indians. They procure SUMMARY [To be continued.] Proccedings of other Societies. FOREIGN. VIEWS OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF VARIOUS BRITISH ASSOCIATIONS. FROM an account of the proceedings of the several societies which held their anniversaries in London in the months of April and May, contained in the Church Missionary Register, the following items are gathered. Wesleyan Missionary Society. tions, in providing the divinely-appointed means on a scale more commensurate with the work to be accomplished. General Summary.-The receipts for the year were £60,130. The statious occupied by the society in different parts of the world are about 177; each station being, in general, the head of a circuit of towns and villages around, embracing a numerous population missionaries, accredited ministers of the Methbrought under missionary instruction. The odist connection, are about 260: they are assisted by catechists, local preachers, assistants, superintendents of schools, schoolmasters and mistresses, artisans, etc.; of whom about 160 are employed at a moderate salary, and 1,400 afford their services gratuitously. The members of the society under the care of the misThat this meeting cannot advert to the sionaries, exclusive of those in Ireland, are West Indies, Africa, India, China, and other about 48,304: the members of the mission conparts of the heathen world, without expressing gregations, not in society, may be fairly estiits deep and solid conviction, that a provideu-mated at an equal number: to these may be tial preparation is making for a far more glorious and extensive diffusion of Christianity than has ever been witnessed; and that the christian church is, consequently, called on to make renewed and greatly increased exer Among the resolutions adopted at the meeting is the following added, the number under school instruction; making a total little short of 120,000 individuals, who are directly receiving spiritual advantage by means of the society's missions in foreign lands. In Ceylon, in the South Scas, |